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Booking the perfect cruise holiday: your ten-step guide

Fjord cruising allows some of the best views of Norways finest landscapes

29 December 2015 • 12:00am

To the uninitiated, cruising can seem like a minefield. There are hundreds of ships, and many more waterways, from which to choose. You may have read or heard about cruises on Europe’s rivers, around the Mediterranean coast or to a far-flung destination such as Alaska. Indeed, the breadth and scope of itineraries is mind-boggling.

So where to start? The good news is there are very few places you can’t cruise; indeed, most of the world can be considered. While on the one hand this can be daunting, it does mean that the chances of finding the holiday you’re looking for are high. As you would with any other trip, set your budget and decide what type of holiday you want. The Northern Lights?? A sun-and-sea cruise book-ended by a city stay? To tick off several places on your wish list on a multi-destination cruise?

Maybe you’d prefer not to fly: that’s possible too. Here’s a checklist of things to consider before you book.

1. Where would you like to go?

Like any other trip, choose what type of holiday you want and where you want to go. There are very few places you can’t cruise, so most of the world can be considered. In Europe, ocean cruises can take you north to the Baltic, to the fjords in Norway, the Arctic’s North Cape, Iceland; and south to the Mediterranean or Black Sea. And you can cruise around the UK. Rivers you can cruise include the Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Rhone, Seine, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne and Douro.

Cruising the Duoro is a good way to see Portugal

In North America ocean cruises can take you up the East Coast, usually from New York, and along the St Lawrence; from Florida to the Caribbean, up the West Coast to Alaska, from Los Angeles or San Francisco, and south to Mexico.

Navigable rivers in the US include the Mississippi, the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest and the St Lawrence. In South and Central America, ocean cruises can take you along the east or west coast (or both) via the Panama Canal and around Cape Horn. Some itineraries include the Falkland Islands. Both river and ocean ships offer Amazon cruises.

Mediterranean cruising - with stops such as Valletta in Malta - remains a popular option (AP) Photo: AP

In Asia, ocean cruises can take you to almost any country with a coastline – Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, China, Japan and South Korea. Rivers you can cruise include the Mekong, the Irrawaddy and Chindwin in Burma, China’s Yangtze and India’s Brahmaputra and Ganges. In the Pacific and Australasia, ocean cruises can take you to Hawaii, Fiji, Tahiti, Australia and/or New Zealand.

2. How would you like to travel?

Once you’ve chosen a destination, decide what you want to do while sailing and ashore, and how much travelling you’re comfortable with.

For those who prefer not to fly, there is plenty of choice when it comes to ex-UK, or “no-fly” cruising. In fact, there are half a dozen cruise ports around the UK – including several in Ireland and Scotland. P&O Cruises, Cruise & Maritime, Royal Caribbean, Hebridean and Fred. Olsen are among those that sail in the UK. Not flying means no airport queues or luggage restrictions and means you could drive to and from the ship, but it can add “getting-there” days to a cruise. On a fly-cruise you’ll get to the sun sooner in winter and can travel much farther if you want to see more of the world.

3. Set your budget

As with any commodity, you get what you pay for. Luxury cruises will afford more cabin space, numerous extras (some all-inclusive), exceptional service and exclusive benefits. However, what determines what a cruise will actually cost you is what is and isn’t included in the upfront price you pay – so do consider the difference this makes when it comes to things that you’ll spend on anyway. If, for example, you’d like a drink at the bar before dinner, and wine with it, but neither is included in the price of your cruise, you need to add what they cost to your holiday spend. The same applies if excursions cost extra. Yes, you could save money by not going on any, but surely that defeats the object of travelling?

Factor in per-person gratuities, too, to avoid a nasty shock on checkout day. If your prefer to put your wallet away on holiday, check out the all-inclusive options.

4. River or ocean cruising?

The two styles of cruising are worlds apart. Simply put, ocean ships are generally bigger (the largest can carry 6,000-plus passengers), can sail greater distances and offer many more diversions on board. River cruising, where you can see the shoreline or riverbank most of the time, offers a more immediate, immersive and intimate travel experience with no at-sea days (you’ll dock somewhere every day) or risk of getting seasick. River-cruise itineraries are destination intensive.

Those with mobility problems will find ocean-going ships more manageable. Many ocean ships cater for all generations, with food and entertainments to match; very few river vessels cater for children, although some are actively encouraging families with older children on board and offer family itineraries on specific dates.

Ocean cruising is often on large ships with ample facilities (Crystal)

The average number of passengers on a river ship is around 150. Ocean ships fall into several categories generally referred to as small (including masted sailing ships and motor yachts), mid-size and resort ships.

Based on who’s coming with you, check that choices cater for everyone’s tastes, needs and interests.

5. When to go

If travelling long-haul, seasons could have an impact on when you travel. You can cruise year-round, but each region has its high season, best (or driest or less humid) season, and rougher or calmer seas. Hurricane season is best avoided. Most have shoulder seasons too, when conditions and prices fall between the two. And you can tie a cruise in with a special event, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, the wine harvest, a holiday such as Christmas or New Year, or a private celebration or anniversary. Christmas cruises to Europe’s markets sell out particularly quickly, as do some of the spring Dutch bulbfield cruises.

If the date really matters or you’re keen to book a particular cabin or several cabins not too far apart, book sooner rather than later.

6. Who to cruise with?

Research as many cruise lines and itineraries as you can. If you’re looking for something special and budget isn’t an issue, here are some to start your search with.

For multi-generation family groups, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises are good places to start. For luxury at sea try Crystal Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Oceania, Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn – voted best cruise line in the luxury category by readers of Telegraph Travel in 2014. (Regent, Crystal, Azamara, Hapag-Lloyd and Celebrity Cruises will all be at next week’s Telegraph Cruise Show).

On the rivers, luxury is not hard to come by. Scenic was the first to offer butlers and ingenious indoor-outdoor balcony configurations. Uniworld, Tauck, APT and others also offer luxury river cruises, and at the more affordable end are CroisiEurope, the River Cruise Line and Emerald (Tauck, Uniworld AmaWaterways and APT will be at the show).

Another exhibitor, Noble Caledonia, specialises in adventure and small-ship cruising – to the Baltic, Black Sea, Japan, Sea of Cortez and Cuba, among others. And if you’re interested in history and culture, you’ll find art, music, history and politics are the stock in trade for the likes of Swan Hellenic and Voyages to Antiquity – find out in advance which guest speakers will be on board.

British line P&O Cruises offers plenty of cruising from the UK, but others, including Virgin, Celebrity Cruises and MSC, have also joined the no-fly stable. Fred. Olsen sails from several of the of the UK’s key ports. For specific pursuits such as the Northern Lights, consider Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten or P&O Cruises.

River cruising comes into its own in Asia. The banks of the Yangtze, the Mekong, the Ganges and, latterly, the Irrawaddy in Burma make for fertile and popular cruising ground. Try Pandaw, Viking, APT, AmaWaterways and Aqua Expeditions and Avalon Cruises.

7. Next, decide on details

Resort, mid-size or small ship? Choose carefully as this decision will be key to your enjoyment. For some, a big resort ship offers so much that you never need go ashore to have a great holiday: others prefer to use the ship as a means of seeing several ports.

Don’t forget your travelling companions. Do you prefer a British on-board culture or a multinational feel? Most cruises – river or ocean – deliver the latter. Some river ships carry more Australians or Americans than British. MSC and Costa Cruises offer Italian styling and flavour; CroisiEurope is French through and through. For a very British cruise experience, check out P&O, Fred. Olsen and Saga.

Inside or outside cabin? Inside cabins won’t have a window or a balcony – although a few new ships have a “virtual” version. No balcony means no outside space of your own, but in colder seasons or on northerly routes, would you really want it? Upgrading to a suite could give you a separate sitting room, more than one bathroom, possibly a bathtub, and a larger balcony. Check brochures or go online to compare floor plans.

8. Be sure everyone's happy

Based on who’s coming with you, check that choices cater for everyone’s tastes, needs and interests, so you’ll all have a happy holiday.

For more inspiration on how to plan a cruise, and for show-exclusive deals, visit the Telegraph Cruise and Travel Show next weekend, January 8-10, at London’s ExCeL centre. See overleaf for more details and visit telegraph.co.uk/cruiseshow.

Telegraph Travel Show: start planning your next adventure

Plan your next great adventure at the inaugural Telegraph Travel Show at the ExCeL London. Book a free session with one of our travel experts at the Genius Bar , who will be offering insights, tips and exclusive show-only offers or sample exotic food and fine wines from around the world. The event takes place at the ExCeL London. See telegraph.co.uk/travelshow for full details. Telegraph readers can claim a third off all entry tickets with the discount code: TELETRAVEL16.